Huge Unexploded World War II-Era Bomb Found in Crowded Paris Residential Area

A half-ton World War II-era bomb was discovered near train tracks in a densely populated residential area just outside Paris, causing significant travel disruptions across the region on Friday. The bomb was unearthed during earthmoving work in the Seine-Saint-Denis area, north of the French capital, according to French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot.

Bomb disposal experts quickly arrived at the site, evacuating locals and establishing a "quite large" security perimeter, said Tabarot. The discovery forced Eurostar, the operator of high-speed trains connecting England and mainland Europe, to cancel all services to and from its Paris hub at Gare du Nord, as well as to London and Brussels.

SNCF, France's national rail operator, confirmed on social media platform X that the unexploded bomb was to blame for the chaos, stating, "Traffic will not resume until mid-afternoon, after formal authorization from the authorities." Meanwhile, Paris police announced temporary closures of the A1 highway and sections of the capital’s famously congested ring road.

At Gare du Nord, Europe’s busiest rail station, which sees 700,000 travelers daily, bright red warning signs greeted stranded commuters. Crowds of frustrated passengers were also seen at London’s St. Pancras International station, highlighting the wide-reaching impact of the incident.

Eurostar urged travelers to reschedule their journeys, citing "an object on the tracks near Paris Gare du Nord" as the source of the disruption. Images captured the chaos as travelers struggled to make alternative arrangements.

The discovery of wartime bombs is a sobering reminder of Europe’s turbulent history, but finding one capable of halting the modern transportation web of Paris? That’s a plot twist even history buffs didn’t see coming.